Who We Serve

Testimonials

Ari

“It took a while to get out of the denial stage of having a mental illness. I would refuse medications, forget to take them, or land in the hospital due to increased symptoms. 

 

I had to accept that I needed help to recover. I needed help navigating the mental health system. I was referred to Guild in 2003 while at inpatient treatment at Regions Hospital. Coming to Guild was the first thing that helped me start the recovery process.

 

My Guild team helped me make a recovery plan. This plan helped me to identify stressors, coping skills, building self-esteem, and personal empowerment.  I was able to work on these strategies with my Guild team and build my recovery plan.

 

The most important thing for me in my recovery was that I had to redefine what success meant to me. I’ve learned that success isn’t a particular career, or any one accomplishment. My Guild team stood with me through it all. They were the glue between the cracks, preventing me from falling.

 

Now, success is the ability to make decisions about my own happiness. Now, since graduating from Guild, I’ve moved to northern Minnesota, which I absolutely love. I found a cute apartment, and live in a small community.

 

My dream is for the mental health community to stand together to speak our truth. The time is now to rip away the stigma of mental illness and control our narrative and destiny in diagnosis and recovery. The time is now to say that I have a mental illness and say with confidence that I can overcome this.”

 

– Arianne, Client

Eli

“Guild started with employment services, but very quickly it became so much more. The services started with finding me a job, but then it became about advancing my life so I could get the career I wanted. Not just a job. Julie [my case worker] helped me with anything I needed. She was, and still is, my life coach.

 Without Julie and Guild, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I wouldn’t be working. I would still be using drugs. I would be in prison, or worse. I don’t hide from my pain and mental illness anymore. I’m not afraid to confront my issues. I have hopes and dreams for the future. I want to go back to school. I want a house up North on a couple of acres of land. I want 2 dogs and maybe a family someday. Because of Guild, my future is bright, and the hamster wheel is no longer part of my life.”

– Eli, Client

Corey

“When you initially meet with [individuals who are homeless], there’s hopelessness, you know? There’s no hope there. When you can give someone that little bit of hope and make that difference in their life, that’s huge.”

 

– Corey, Guild Homeless Outreach Worker

Nick

“Guild’s Youth ACT team has shown me how much you can grow with the right people pushing you. [They] helped me with my routine. They’re interested in the things I have to say. I believe they care about me, and that gives me hope. I am a survivor and a tough one, too.”

 

– Nick, Client

Pam

“I hear parents talk about how [Guild] staff lifted the burden of care from their shoulders, helping their loved ones on a path to attaining a meaningful and more independent quality of life.”

 

– Pam, Volunteer

Mick

Every person I work with is truly dedicated to the clients and every day I see them doing scores of little things that make a difference in people’s lives.”

 

– Mick, Guild Peer Support Specialist

Zaheeda

“I was in an arranged marriage. I divorced my husband because he was abusive and I ended up being homeless. I went to a women’s shelter in Eagan. That’s where I got a referral to Guild. Guild is always good. They give you a lot of tools to use, research on how to get help in the community, [and more]. You have to fight. I push myself. I want to see the light.”

 

– Zaheeda, Guild Client

Ari

Ari

“It took a while to get out of the denial stage of having a mental illness. I would refuse medications, forget to take them, or land in the hospital due to increased symptoms. 

 

I had to accept that I needed help to recover. I needed help navigating the mental health system. I was referred to Guild in 2003 while at inpatient treatment at Regions Hospital. Coming to Guild was the first thing that helped me start the recovery process.

 

My Guild team helped me make a recovery plan. This plan helped me to identify stressors, coping skills, building self-esteem, and personal empowerment.  I was able to work on these strategies with my Guild team and build my recovery plan.

 

The most important thing for me in my recovery was that I had to redefine what success meant to me. I’ve learned that success isn’t a particular career, or any one accomplishment. My Guild team stood with me through it all. They were the glue between the cracks, preventing me from falling.

 

Now, success is the ability to make decisions about my own happiness. Now, since graduating from Guild, I’ve moved to northern Minnesota, which I absolutely love. I found a cute apartment, and live in a small community.

 

My dream is for the mental health community to stand together to speak our truth. The time is now to rip away the stigma of mental illness and control our narrative and destiny in diagnosis and recovery. The time is now to say that I have a mental illness and say with confidence that I can overcome this.”

 

– Arianne, Client

 

Eli

Eli

“Guild started with employment services, but very quickly it became so much more. The services started with finding me a job, but then it became about advancing my life so I could get the career I wanted. Not just a job. Julie [my case worker] helped me with anything I needed. She was, and still is, my life coach.

 

Without Julie and Guild, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I wouldn’t be working. I would still be using drugs. I would be in prison, or worse. I don’t hide from my pain and mental illness anymore. I’m not afraid to confront my issues. I have hopes and dreams for the future. I want to go back to school. I want a house up North on a couple of acres of land. I want 2 dogs and maybe a family someday. Because of Guild, my future is bright, and the hamster wheel is no longer part of my life.”

 

– Eli, Client

guild support worker

Corey

“When you initially meet with [individuals who are homeless], there’s hopelessness, you know? There’s no hope there. When you can give someone that little bit of hope and make that difference in their life, that’s huge.”

 

– Corey, Guild Homeless Outreach Worker

 

guild support worker

Nick

“Guild’s Youth ACT team has shown me how much you can grow with the right people pushing you. [They] helped me with my routine. They’re interested in the things I have to say. I believe they care about me, and that gives me hope. I am a survivor and a tough one, too.”

 

– Nick, Client

 

guild support worker

Pam

“I hear parents talk about how [Guild] staff lifted the burden of care from their shoulders, helping their loved ones on a path to attaining a meaningful and more independent quality of life.”

 

– Pam, Volunteer

 

Mick guild support specialist

Mick

Every person I work with is truly dedicated to the clients and every day I see them doing scores of little things that make a difference in people’s lives.”

 

– Mick, Guild Peer Support Specialist

 

guild client zaheeda

Zaheeda

“I was in an arranged marriage. I divorced my husband because he was abusive and I ended up being homeless. I went to a women’s shelter in Eagan. That’s where I got a referral to Guild. Guild is always good. They give you a lot of tools to use, research on how to get help in the community, [and more]. You have to fight. I push myself. I want to see the light.”

 

– Zaheeda, Guild Client